How Ferrari and McLaren gave F1 an incurable headache

At last year's Japanese Grand Prix, the re-emergence of tobacco sponsorship was evident at Ferrari, and McLaren's BAT deal followed for 2019. The return of such sponsors means F1 must consider the wider impact

A €350million investment does not occur without good reason. Just because tobacco advertising was banned more than a decade ago doesn't mean that the companies themselves or Formula 1 teams have forgotten the massive benefits that could be had from a tie-up.

Tobacco advertising grew into one of the most globally scrutinised elements of F1, thanks to shifting social attitudes towards smoking and increasingly strict laws in Europe and the wider world.